Cancer Research

Dr. Dan Gewirth, Hauptman-Woodward senior research scientist, has just solved the structure of the first mammalian GRP94 protein implicated in immune diseases such as sepsis, AIDS and certain cancers. His work is being published today in a cover article in a top scientific journal - Molecular Cell. Gewirth’s study confirms his 2001 hypothesis that this protein – GRP94 – is from the same family as the better known HSP90 proteins. As ligand-regulated chaperones – proteins that help other cellular proteins achieve their active shapes, the HSP90s are key players in cellular regulation and…

Women under the age of forty with breast cancer who are given drugs in addition to lumpectomies or radiotherapy, known as adjuvant chemotherapy, may not be benefiting from these drugs. This is especially true if their tumors respond to changing levels of hormones such as estrogen, according to research published in the online journal, Breast Cancer Research. "Developing breast cancer at a young age is very worrying in terms of survival," explained lead researcher Dr J van der Hage. "But some young women may be undergoing not only unpleasant but also unnecessary chemotherapy, which can be…

Thomson Scientific today announced the results of a study analyzing Australian institutions' research influence and scientific output. In the September/October issue of Science Watch, Thomson Scientific analyzes data from its Australian University Indicators 1981-2006 to evaluate universities and research institutions based on total citations and impact -- the average number of citations per paper. The study ranks institutions by impact and total citations across 21 fields as well as overall output and impact. The University of Melbourne occupies the lead position in this survey by…

Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy have not noticed a restriction in their access to treatment following the enactment of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), despite the act's significant reduction in government reimbursement to oncologists, according to a new study led by researchers in the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI). “Critics of the MMA often said that it would reduce patients’ access to chemotherapy services, because doctors would receive 30 to 40 percent less reimbursement from the government for administering treatment,” said…

Researchers in a multicenter international study state that if the HMMR gene becomes mutated it may increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer by more than a third. Further, the researchers found that the gene interacts with the well-known breast cancer gene BRCA1. Alternations in either gene cause genetic instability and interfere with cell division, which could be a path to breast cancer developing. This leads researchers to not just a single gene, but a pathway that may be a potential target for treating or detecting breast cancer. HMMR is mutated in about 10 percent of the population.…

That question may be answered as scientists study the recently mapped genetic makeup of a fungus that spawns the worst cereal grains disease known and also can produce toxins potentially fatal to people and livestock. The fungus, which is especially destructive to wheat and barley, has resulted in an estimated $10 billion in damage to U.S. crops over the past 10 years. The scientists who sequenced the fungus' genes said that the genome will help them discover what makes this particular pathogen so harmful, what triggers the process that spreads the fungus and why various fungi attack…

A new study published in the October 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology is the first of its kind to evaluate the effect of flavonols on developing pancreatic cancer. The study determined that eating flavonol-rich foods may help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Quercetin, which is found naturally in apples and onions, has been identified as one of the most beneficial flavonols in preventing and reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer. Although the overall risk was reduced among the study participants, smokers who consumed foods rich in flavonols had a significantly greater…

An international team has opened a virtual bazaar, called PAZAR, which allows biologists to share information about gene regulation through individually managed 'boutiques' (data collections). According to research published in the online open access journal, Genome Biology, customers can access data without any charge from any boutique or extract information from the 'superstores' that aggregate data of similar types. In deciphering the human genome sequence, researchers hope to understand the when and where of gene expression because this could speed development of novel cancer therapies or…

Scientists have made an important advance in understanding the genetic processes that give flowers, leaves and plants their bright colours. The knowledge could lead to a range of benefits, including better understanding of the cancer-fighting properties of plant pigments and new, natural food colourings. The research is highlighted in the new issue of Business from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The scientists, at the John Innes Centre and Institute of Food Research in Norwich, have pinpointed a key group of enzymes involved in the production of plant…

The discovery of a relationship between two cell enzymes and their role in keeping the cell’s energy generating machinery working smoothly could provide a new target for development of therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Research led by Dr L.Miguel Martins of the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Leicester and Dr Julian Downward of the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute has shown that the products of two genes called HtrA2 and PINK1 co-operate in preventing breakdown of cell function that could otherwise lead to Parkinson’s symptoms. The research is published online in…